altruism
Devotion to the welfare of others, regard for others, as a principle of action; opposed to egoism or selfishness
amygdala
One of the basal ganglia in each cerebral hemisphere, situated towards the front of the temporal lobe and concerned with the control of motivation and aggression
arcana
A hidden thing; a mystery, a profound secret
cacophony
The quality of having an ill sound; the use of harsh-sounding words or phrases
endure
To last; to suffer continuously
erotomania
A psychiatric disorder in which the patient believes that a social superior is in love with him or her and is sending him or her secret signals
escarpment
The abrupt face or cliff of a ridge or hill range
euphoria
A state of cheerfulness or well-being, especially one based on over-confidence or over-optimism
fabulation
Invention, concoction, fabrication
Johnny B. Goode
An American rock and roll song written and performed by Chuck Berry in 1958, telling the story of a talented young guitar player who rises in fame
Neo-Darwinism
A theory of biological evolution (widely accepted since the 1920s) based on Darwin's theory of natural selection but incorporating the theories of later biologists regarding genes, inheritance, and mutation, particularly those of Weismann and Mendel
parody
A literary composition modeled on and imitating another work, especially a composition in which the characteristic style and themes of a particular author or genre are satirized by being applied to inappropriate or unlikely subjects, or are otherwise exaggerated for comic effect
pathology
The study of abnormal mental conditions; mental disease or disorder; an instance of this
pillock
A stupid person; a fool, an idiot
pre-morbid
Preceding the onset or diagnosis of a disease or disorder
privet
Any of various shrubs of the genus Ligustrum; especially the semi-evergreen Japanese species L. ovalifolium, which is usually used for hedges
psychosis
Severe mental illness, characterized by loss of contact with reality (in the form of delusions and hallucinations) and deterioration of intellectual and social functioning, occurring as a primary disorder or secondary to other diseases, drug ingestion, etc.
rationalism
The doctrine or belief that reason should be the only guiding principle in life, obviating the need for reliance on, or adherence to, any form of religious belief
reprobate
A person who has been rejected by God, an unredeemed sinner; specifically a person who has been predestined by God to eternal damnation
synaesthesia
A sensation in one part of the body produced by a stimulus applied to another part
vertiginous
Giddy-minded; unstable or unsettled in opinions, etc.; inconstant; apt to change quickly; marked by inconstancy, instability, or rapid change
